Half Way Tree

When searching for specific postmark impressions, one sometimes comes across names that make you look up in surprise. Never heard of it! What a strange name! This was also the case with a postmark on a letter from Jamaica. A letter from 1949, sent from Half-Way-Tree to Colombo in Ceylon, the old name for present-day Sri Lanka.

Clearly directed at a stamp dealer there. But where can that place name be found? Naturally, the internet offers the solution again! Half Way Tree is the capital of the Saint Andrew district in Jamaica. Half Way Tree is not a separate town, but a large neighborhood in the Kingston metropolitan area. A large post office is located in the neighborhood. This is due to the presence of many businesses and offices. And it is situated close to the center of Kingston. It is an attractive place to live and work. The flats and houses in the city are mainly located on Surbiton Road, Winchester Road, and Ruthven Road. Several prominent schools are also located here, such as St Andrew High Girls' School. Furthermore, there are several large shopping centers. Back to the envelope. The mention 'As near as your mailbox' is nice, an advertising slogan you come across quite often. Then the sender. Is anything to be found about this? And here too, the internet offers the solution. Barrington Smith Co. was a stamp dealer that was very active in the mid-20th century. The owner demonstrated 'patriotism' by issuing numerous special envelopes, the proceeds of which were intended to finance specific campaigns during the Second World War. Barrington Smith's patriotic envelopes are highly sought after, especially by British and American collectors. He dealt specifically in stamps and postal stationery issued by Commonwealth countries. He started his business in 1935, first as a printer, but soon as a stamp dealer. He became known as the publisher of the stamp magazine 'The West Indian Philatelist'. He closed his business in 1962. And where does the name Half Way Tree come from? Tradition says that the place was named after a large cotton tree that stood here before the English conquest of the island in 1655. The tree marked the midpoint between the military base St. Andrew at Greenwich and the fort in Spanish Town. Old envelopes? A source of history and inspiration!